


Read Dead Redemption

by famderlinde



Category: Red Dead Redemption
Genre: No Spoilers, its all platonic my b, platonic cowboy bonding activities, this isnt really about any ships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-13
Updated: 2018-12-13
Packaged: 2019-09-17 17:26:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16978809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/famderlinde/pseuds/famderlinde
Summary: Dutch taught Arthur to read. Dutch taught John to read. Dutch taught Tilly to read. Following in his footsteps, Lenny is determined to teach Sean to read... but, it turns out he isn't too eager to learn. So like any troubled youth, he turns to the village elders for advice.Based on an interaction the Lenny and Sean have in camp plus my own personal headcanons for younger John being a little shit





	Read Dead Redemption

 "Please, kid....give up on me."

Sean pleaded with Lenny as he stomped away, visibly frustrated with the Irishman. Normally Lenny would have commented on Sean calling him "kid", considering the were almost the same age, but decided to hold his tongue in order to make a more dramatic exit. He just kept on walking and walking with his mind racing a mile a minute, not paying attention to where he was going. That was until he felt himself colliding with something solid, warm and....grumpy?

Arthur.

"The hell's your problem?" Arthur spat out on instinct before even turning around to see who had just crashed into him. His stew was spilled all over the front of his outfit and he was ready to rough up whichever idiot bumped him- until he realized that it was Lenny. Lenny with a particularly sour expression on his face. Now, normally Arthur wouldn't question it much- they live a hard life, of course they all have bad moments. But Lenny was never one to be careless or not pay attention to his surroundings. That coupled with the loud shouts he had been hearing coming from the other side of camp piqued his curiosity enough to get involved. 

"You alright boy? Looks like you have somethin' to say."

"I'm not in the mood, Arthur." Lenny quickly tried to leave the situation and avoid a conversation. He didn't get far though, as Arthur firmly grasped Lenny's arm as he went by, securing him in place. 

"Well I wasn't much in the mood to be wearin' my supper, so I guess we're both shit out of luck, huh?" Arthur slung and arm around Lenny's shoulders and the younger man groaned as he knew he wasn't getting out of this one easily. Lenny could never figure out Arthur- he seemed the type to prefer minding his own business, not getting into other people's personal lives (hell- he didn't even like to get into his OWN personal life). But out of nowhere he seemingly gives a damn and pokes his nose in places it doesn't belong.

And unfortunately for Lenny, this was one of those times. 

So as he was less than politely escorted by Arthur to the river just at the edge of camp, he thought of all of the possible ways he could get himself out of this situation. For once he wished Arthur had just decked him on impact rather than trying to talk it out. Eventually they made it, garnering a few cocked brows and curious glances along the way. Once at the river front Arthur stripped off his vest and jacket, which caught Lenny off guard-until he remembered that he had meat and vegetable chunks still clinging to his clothes. Lenny sat down on a nearby log in awkward silence while Arthur washed up, considering bolting while the man had his back turned but knowing he'd regret it later. Eventually Arthur made his way over and plopped down next to him, letting the silence linger a moment as a way of inviting Lenny to speak first. When he didn't take him up on the invitation, Arthur broke the silence. 

"Heard you and Sean goin' at it earlier.

"You heard that"?

Arthur chuckled. "With how loud that Irish bastard is I'm sure people down in Rhodes were hearin' ya. What were you two spattin' about? You usually get on pretty well." 

"He made me a promise and now he's goin' back on it, is all." Lenny sighed as he leaned forward, his arms resting on his legs. "I'm....I'm tryin' to  _help_ him and he doesn't even care!" 

"Help him with what?" 

"Reading. I wanted to try and teach him- he's one of the only people in camp who can't! Hell, even Jack can read better than him. I keep tryin' to tell Sean he ain't too old to start learnin' but he won't hear it! Says he doesn't need to learn, even after he promised me he'd try!" 

Arthur thought for a moment, his expression stoic and giving Lenny no insight onto what he was thinking. Eventually he got up, telling Lenny to wait there and he'd be back in a minute. Lenny sat, staring into the river and idly tossing in a few rocks while waiting for Arthur to return. He was mildly curious about what Arthur was up to, but knew better than to ask. Arthur was a man of action more than words, and he'd have all his answers soon enough.

And that he did, when Arthur returned to the water with Dutch at his side. 

"Dutch? Why'd you bring Dutch here, Arthur?" 

"Thought I'd set you up with somebody who knows what yer goin' through." Dutch laughed at that comment and Arthur gave him a knowing look. Lenny immediately felt out of the loop, but that's how he always felt when among multiple of the long-standing members of the Van Der Linde gang. They always had some story, some memory from before the newer recruits were along that was always subtly mentioned but never explained. 

"So son," Dutch started in his familiar parental tone. "I heard you're trying to teach Sean to read. That's mighty kind of ya to do. But Arthur here tells me he's being less than cooperative, that right?"

Lenny nodded. "He says he doesn't need to learn how, that this is what God wanted or some bullshit like that... I mean he's a fucking criminal, it's not like he's gonna be on God's good side when the time comes anyways." Dutch gave a small laugh at that last remark and patted Lenny on the back. 

"Lenny, you know that I taught some of the people around here to read, right?"

"Yeah... I saw you readin' with Tilly before, and Arthur's mentioned how you taught him too." Arthur nodded in affirmation. "What does that have to do with anything? Arthur and Tilly are much easier to teach then Sean, I'll bet."

"You're right, they were both great students to have." Dutch looked proudly over at Arthur, who bowed his head in response. "But did you know...I also taught John to read?"

"John?" Lenny was confused. Nobody had ever mentioned that detail before. I mean it made sense- they had apparently acquired John in a similar way that they did Arthur, so Dutch being the one to teach him to read wasn't that far-fetched. But why had nobody ever said anything about it before?

"Yup, John. And boy let me tell you, if you think Sean is frustrating to teach then you haven't had to deal with a teenage Marston before. He was an absolute nightmare, the boy."

" _Was_ _?_ " Arthur joked, earning him a stern look from his mentor. 

"What was so bad about him?" Lenny inquired. 

"Let's just say there's a reason we don't talk about it much. It was an absolute ordeal, and not in a way that's fun to look back on later. John was indignant, stubborn and plain out stupid." Lenny glanced over at Arthur, who he could tell was trying his hardest to bite back another remark about John. "Said he didn't need to know how to read, that it was a waste of time."

"That's just like what Sean is sayin' to me! But... John can read now. That means you eventually got through to him, right? How'd you do it, Dutch?" 

Dutch smiled fondly at the boy. "I had help." His eyes then drifted over to Arthur. "Boy was such a nightmare that it took two of us to get him to smarten up. Me to do most of the actual teachin', and Arthur to get him to stay in his damn seat and shut the hell up!" Dutch was laughing at this point, with Arthur joining in.

"Really? He was that bad?"

"He sure as hell was." Arthur responded. "He didn't even wanna try, kept trying to wiggle his way out, sayin outlaws need to 'hit banks not books'. The two of us and Hosea couldn't for the life of us figure out why this kid was bein' so difficult. But then we figured it out."

"Well, are you gonna tell me or just keep bein' cryptic about it?" Arthur smirked down at the kid put his arm on his shoulder, taking a seat down on one side of him while Dutch took the other. 

"We figured...he didn't wanna try because he was too afraid of messin' up. Of failin'."

"Well that's a stupid reason." Lenny huffed. "We try dangerous shit all the time... blowin' up train tracks, shootin', robbin'... and he was afraid of failing at  _readin'?_ It's like the least dangerous thing a lot like us does on a daily basis."

"That's for damn sure." Dutch chuckled. "And we couldn't figure it out either at the time. Why he seemed so frightened. So on one particularly rough day, when we were all on edge and at each other's throats, we asked him. Asked him what he was so indignant for. And he told us that he didn't want to fail at this  _because_ it was easy. The jobs we do are intense, dangerous. Not anybody could do them. But pretty much anybody except a blind man can read. And that was what scared John- he didn't want to fail at something that even the simplest man could do."

"Wow..." Lenny murmured, his voice incredulous. "I never knew John was that deep." 

"I don't think he knew he was that deep, and he sure as hell regretted what he said after he said it. But he was easier to deal with then, just quietly doin' his work until he could read on his own. For his own good we don't bring it up... could tell it struck a nerve." Arthur nodded in agreement, which was surprising to Lenny- usually he would take any opportunity at his disposal to make jokes or tease John. 

"So what do the two of you think I should do about Sean? Reckon he has them same fears?" 

"I'd say so." Arthur confirmed. "Man thinks he's hot shit, easy to see. My bet is he doesn't wanna be vulnerable or seem weaker than ya, even if that means mentally weaker." 

"Well I mean that doesn't make any sense... when has Sean EVER been stronger than me?" The two older men couldn't help but smirk at that remark. "But...I guess I get what you're sayin'. I'll try talkin' to him more, maybe slip him a few drinks to get him REALLY talkin'!" Lenny said his goodbyes before he hopped on his horse and rode out of town, telling the guys he was going to get some books that Sean might be more interested in in an added effort to get the ball rolling. Once he was gone Arthur rose to get back to his day as well, but not before Dutch planted a hand on his shoulder.

"You did good today, son. You really helped out young Lenny here, Sean too. I'm proud of you and the way you're starting to take care of these kids like...well, like I took care of you." And with a hearty pat Dutch was gone, not giving Arthur time to say anything sarcastic or derogatory about himself. He left him there with a dumb smile on his face and a good feeling in his heart.

At least until John came by, teasing Arthur for looking like an idiot. 

 


End file.
